Coal-mining machine



April 18, 1944. c. E. HAIR EIAL COAL MINING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l HTTOR/VEY,

April 2 C. E. HAIR ETAL COAL MINING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR5 6. E0 w/N HA #2,

III

Patented Apr. 18, 1944 PATENT OFFICE COAL-MINING MACHINE Charles Edwin Hair and Richard T. Hair,

Benton, Ill.

Application March 28, 1942, Serial No. 436,648

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to mining machines and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in machines or fluidactuated expansion type especially, though not exclusively, adapted for use in coal-mining.

Our invention has fo'r'its chief object the provision of a coal-mining machine of the class stated which includes a selected plurality of individual jacks each comprising a cylinder and piston joined for actuation and so flexibly or yieldinglyconnected in an articulated series for enabling ready installation and manipulation of the machine as a unit and yet=permitting automatic displacement of the several jacks one relatively to the other for compensating for unevenness in the supporting coal-floor either prior to any coal dislodging action of the machine or resulting or accruing as the coal-body is by the machine disrupted, dislodged, or broken down.

Our invention has for a further object the provision of a machine of the type and for the purpose stated, which may be readily manufactured, which is sturdy, strong, and durable, which is conveniently usable, and which is efilcient in the performance of its intended functions;

And with the above and other objects in view, our invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets)- Figure l is an elevational view of ,a coal-mining machine of our invention as dlsruptingly or dislodgingly disposed in a coal wall or body;

Figure 2 is a similar view, illustrating the machine in fully expanded condition following completion of the breaking down of the coal wall or body;

Figure 3 is a broken enlarged side elevational view of the machine Figure 4 is a broken sectional plan view of the machine taken approximately on the line H,

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a I preferred embodiment of our invention, the machine, briefly outlined, includes a series of individual jacks A flexibly joined or connected in an integrated, articulated, aligning series by means of interposed elastic, resilient, or yielding blocks B, and working in the cylinders, and forming substantially a part, of the jacks A, are respective pistons or plungers C.

Each jack A, in turn, includes a; base I, upstanding from, and preferably integral with. which is an internally threaded annular seat or neck 2. retaining nut 3 secured in, the seat 2, as best seen in Figure 6, is the cylinder body a preferably provided with a hexagonal portion 4 for facilitating firm engagement thereof with the neck 2.

Having slidable connection with the body a, is a preferably two-part extensible or telescopic plunger or piston C, which includes an intermediate tubular-portion 5 and a rod-portion 6, the tubular portion 5 being annularly enlarged and thereby provided adjacent its lower end with an annular shoulder, as at l, for engagement with a shoulder 8 formed in the upper or free end of the body a for limiting outward or expanding movement of the intermediate piston-portion 5 with respect to the body a, and the piston-rod 6 being similarly enlarged and thereby provided with a shoulder, as at 9, for engaging with a shoulder l0 provided upon the opposite end of the tubular member 5 for similarly limiting outward or expanding movement of the piston 6 with respect to the tubular-portion 5. It might be here mentioned that the cylinder a and piston C are so relatively proportioned and sized as to be compactly nested when in normal or contracted condition, as best seen in Figures 3 and 7, and to have a stretch of approximately three inches when in abnormal or fully expanded or extended condition, as best seen in Figure 6, the piston or plunger C being preferably equipped with cylinder-wall engaging rings, as at H, H, for fluid sealing purposes, as will be well understood.

Threadedly engaged, as by a stud l2, with, and seated upon the upper or free end of piston-rod 8, is a head 0 of so-called mushroom form cut away and shouldered upon its perimeter, as at 13 and ill, for smoothly and snugly engaging with a similar contour on a plate or retainer H, as best seen in Figures 6 and 7. Forming part of the piston or plunger C, is a block D, which is preferably of rectangular outline or contour in plan with a transversely disposed and extending arcu- Threaded into, and as by means of a or the like is engaging the retainer Id as best seen in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8.

The base I of each jack A is also preferably of approximate rectangular shape or contour with, for purposes presently appearing, a transversely disposed and extending arcuate under face, as at l8, and in the construction of the machine, two like jacks A are disposed in suitably or selectively spaced parallel relation and fixed permanently, though flexibly, together in integrated or unitary relation by rubber or other yielding, elastic, or resilient blocks B interposed between, and by vulcanization, cement, or other suitable means or process permanently engaged with, opposed faces of the blocks D and bases i of said jacks. We might add that preferably, while not here particularly shown, such faces of the blocks D and bases i are roughened for facilitating and insuring permanent connection with the interposed jack-articulating blocks B. Thus the several individual jacks A of the machine are articulated or integrated into a permanently joined flexible series for purposes now shortly appearing.

Formed in the base i, is a hydraulic or other suitable fluid passage or channel i9 adapted for communication with the interior of the cylinder member a as by a communicating port 20. The channel or passage l9 has a preferably obliquely upwardly and outwardly presented continuation 2| adapted for connection with a similar continuation M of a next adjacent like cylinder a as by means of flexible tube-sections E disposed upwardly in obliquely converging relation, as best seen in Figures 3, 5, and 6, and firmly joined at their upper or free ends as by means of a suitable U-coupling or the like F.

It will be understood that the machine may comprise any suitable number of the jacks A. Preferably, however, the machine comprises ten jacks A, the passage [9 in the last or rear-end jack A being, of course, permanently closed and the passage i9 in the first or front-end jack A having an inlet, as at 22, adapted for communicating connection through and by a suitable flexible hose or pipe 23 with any suitable source of hydraulic or other fluid supply.

Accordingly, in use and operation, an undercut, as G, is suitably formed or produced in or adjacent the bottom leve1 of the particular wall or body W of coal being mined, and in suitably spaced relation upwardly from the under-cut G a desired plurality of suitably spaced and elongated annular holes, as at H, are formed in the coal-body W. One or more machines of our invention are then lengthwise disposed in selected holes H, as best seen in Figure l, with the jacks A thereof in normal contracted condition. The

hose or pipe 23 is suitably connected with a source of hydraulic or other fluid supply, and the fluid in suilicient volume or amount led into the cyliners a of the successive jacks A. Hence, as the successive pistons C are thus hydraulically expanded, under the relatively great pressure thereby exerted upon the coal-wall or body W, that portion thereof, as at 11), intermediate the under.- cut G and the several holes H is disrupted and dislodged and its removal from the mine thereby conveniently facilitated.

In such operation, the yielding blocks B readily permit a flexibly shitting movement in, as it may be said, an up-and-down direction between the respective jacks A, with the result that, as the coal shifts under the dislodging and disrupting pressure exerted thereon by the successively expanding pistons C, any one or more of the jacks A may bodily readily move obliquely or shift to a different flat or inclined plane with respect to the remaining jacks, as indicated in Figure 2. And in such shifting or relative movements of the jacks A, the heads or blocks D thereof may necessarily be required to move angularly through a greater arc or distance than are the bases l. Such relative block-and-base movements of the jacks A are also freely elastically permitted by the resiliently articulated blocks 3, and hence the machine, in fact, most emciently and economically augments, instead of retards, shifting movement of the dislodged coal and at the same time the relative flexibility of the several jacks A eliminatesand obviates breaking of the machine in or by shifting movement of the disrupted coal, the arcuate faces l8 of the respective bases andthe tilting or shifting movement of the blocks D facilitating engagement of the machine with the coal-body as well as subsequent movement of the respective lacks under the shifting movement of the disrupted coa We may add that, of course, on a draining back of the motive fluid, the pistons C will automatically return to normal, contracted condition, when the machine may be easily removed for successive like operations.

It isto be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangements, and combination of the several parts of the machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mining-machinaa pair of jacks, and means comprising flexible blocks joining the jacks one to th other for relative movement.

2. In a mining-machine, a pair of jacks each comprising a cylinder and a piston, and means comprising flexible blocks interposed between and fixed to the cylinders and pistons of the jacks for joining the jacks one to the other for relative movement.

3. In a mining-machine, a pair of jacks each including a cylinder anda piston, each cylinder having a rigid base and each piston having a shiftable head-block, and means comprising flexible blocks interposed between and fixed to the head-blocks and bases of the jacks for joining the jacks one to the other for relative movement.

4. In a mining-machine, a pair of jacks each including a cylinder and a piston, each cylinder having a rigid base and each piston comprising telescopically joined members having telescopic connection with the cylinder and a shiftable head-block, and means comprising flexible blocks interposed between and fixed to the head-blocks and bases of the jacks for joining the jacks one to the other for relative movement.

5. In a mining-machine, a pair of Jacks each including a cylinder and a piston, each cylinder having a rigid base and each piston comprising telescopically joined members having telescopic connection with the cylinder, 9. head having an arcuate upper face, and a block attached to and upon the upper face of the head for shiftable ,movement, and means comprising flexible blocks interposed between and flxed to the head-blocks and bases of the Jacks for joining the jacks one to the other for relative movement.

6. In a mining-machine, a pair of jacks each including a cylinder and a piston, each cylinder having a rigid base having an arcuate under face and each piston comprising telescopically joined members having telescopic connection with the cylinder, a head having an arcuate upper face, and a block attached to and upon the upper face of the head for shiftable movement, and means comprising flexible blocks interposed between and fixed to the head-blocks and bases of the Jacks for joining the jacks one to the other for relative movement.

'7. In a mining-machine, a pair of jacks, means comprising flexible blocks joining the jacks one to the other for relative movement, and means flexibly connecting the jacks for fluid communication. 7

8. In a mining-machine, a plurality of jacks, means comprising flexible blocks connecting the jacks one to the other for relative movement, and

means including respective sets of commimicating flexible pipe sections connecting the Jacks for .fiuid communication one with the other.

9. In a mining-machine, a pair of jacks, means articulating the jacks one with the other for relative movement thereof in up-and-down direction, each jack including a base having a fluid supply passage, and means including flexible pipe-sections having communicating connection with said passages for joining the jacks for fluid communication.

10. In a mining-machine, a pair of Jacks each including a cylinder and a reciprocatory piston, and resilient means connecting the jacks directly together for relative movement.

11. In a mining-machine, a pair of lacks each including a cylinder and a recip'rocatory piston, and resilient means connecting the respective cylinders and Pistons of the Jacks directly together for relative movement of the jacks.

C. EDWIN HAIR. RICHARD T. HAIR. 

